


Just the Way You Are

by Lady_Phenyx



Series: Fluffvember 2019 [14]
Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)
Genre: Body Image, Cuddling & Snuggling, Don't copy to another site, Fluff, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2019-11-14
Packaged: 2021-01-30 22:07:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21435460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Phenyx/pseuds/Lady_Phenyx
Summary: After the latest batch of magazines deal a devastating blow to Snorkmaiden's self-esteem and body image, it's up to her boyfriends to help remind her that she's perfect just the way she is.Fluffvember Day 14: “You’re comfy/you're so soft./You are my new pillow./“Are you comfortable?”
Relationships: Mumintrollet | Moomintroll/Snorkfröken | The Snork Maiden, Mumintrollet | Moomintroll/Snorkfröken | The Snork Maiden/Snusmumriken | Snufkin, Mumintrollet | Moomintroll/Snusmumriken | Snufkin, Snorkfröken | The Snorkmaiden/Snusmumriken | Snufkin, Springtime Trio
Series: Fluffvember 2019 [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1533602
Comments: 9
Kudos: 94





	Just the Way You Are

Snorkmaiden twisted, looking at herself from another angle in the mirror.

The newest magazines had arrived – well, as new as they got in Moomin Valley, as they could be cut off from the outside world at times – and there had been a set of fashion magazines among them.

They weren't Snorkmaiden's usual reading, but she'd been just desperate enough for something new to read them anyway.

Sometimes, they had interesting ideas for new fashions in them to try out in Moomin Valley. She hadn't turned Moomin or Snufkin's head with them, there were other things that had done that for her, but they were fun to play with.

This time, though, each one of them seemed focused on how a lady should be shaped, no matter her species.

One that was very unlike how Snorkmaiden herself was shaped.

What if the magazines were right? What if she was shaped wrong? What if...what if Moomin and Snufkin would stop being attracted to her while she was shaped like this?

Deep in her anxiety spiral, Snorkmaiden wasn't able to pull back, to realize how wrong she was being.

All she could do was spiral downwards.

\---XXX---

“She's been locked in there for two days now,” Snork said, adjusting his glasses uncomfortably. “She won't come one, and she just yells at me when I try to talk to her. I thought maybe she'd listen to one of you.”

Snufkin peered up the stairs at Snorkmaiden's room, thinking.

“We have to do something,” Moomin said anxiously. “We're her boyfriends, we can't leave her like this! Snork, is there another key?”

“We keep spares in the kitchen, hidden, but I didn't dare use it,” Snork said. He twisted his paws together, looking up the stairs to his sister's room. “We've locked ourselves out before. But I'm not sure...”

“Moomin, you distract her. I'm breaking in through the window,” he said seriously.

\---XXX---

Snorkmaiden was curled up on her bed, wishing she never had to leave the room again, when she heard something scratching at the window.

Incredulous, she rolled over to find the window open and Snufkin sliding over the sill.

Snorkmaiden yelped his name, and he perched on the windowsill, watching her.

“You had to guess we'd worry. Why are you locked in your room, Princess?”

“I...you wouldn't understand,” she said, turning away.

Snufkin shrugged, slipping off the windowsill and coming closer. “Maybe not. But if I'm your boyfriend I have to try, and at least be here to listen. And I certainly can't if you won't explain it to me or let me in.”

Snorkmaiden shifted. “Why do you have to be right so often,” she muttered.

“According to you and Moomin, it's one of my charms,” Snufkin said dryly. His boot hit one of the magazines, and he picked it up. It had been lying open on one of the pages that had given Snorkmaiden the worst troubles, of the proper shape of a snork and what one should do to achieve that perfect body.

Snufkin looked at it with narrowed eyes before discarding it. “Is this part of what's got you so upset?” he asked.

Snorkmaiden nodded. “I'm not shaped right,” Snorkmaiden said miserably, almost wailing it. “And unless I'm shaped right then everything's wrong.”

Snufkin stared at her, inscrutable, and Snorkmaiden started to fidget. “Well, it's true,” she said defensively. “You saw the magazine. They wouldn't publish it if it wasn't true, right?”

With a small hum, Snufkin bent to take off his boots. “All it means is that they found someone to publish it,” he said as he pulled them off. Then he crouched, his tail lashing once, twice, before he leapt onto the bed.

Snorkmaiden yelped as Snufkin's weight made the bed bounce.

And Snufkin draped himself over her, flopping across her stomach.

They may have been dating now, but great shows of physical affection still weren't Snufkin's thing yet, which made his actions now leave Snorkmaiden breathless and frozen for key seconds.

Snufkin shifted and wiggled, his paws kneading into Snorkmaiden's stomach, the softness she'd been so upset about earlier. His purr filled the room as he nuzzled up against her, his cheek against her chest and wrapping his arms around her, pressing against her.

“Mmph. So soft. So warm,” he murmured into her chest, squeezing tighter. “Just right.”

“I'm too soft,” Snorkmaiden moaned.

“No. Perfect,” Snufkin replied, lifting his head. “Magazines lie. They play with pictures until they aren't real. Until you can't recognize anyone whose picture is in it, and tell you anything they feel like to get you to buy things. You're a snork, and you're shaped like a snork should be shaped.”

“You're shaped like the magazines want us to be,” Snorkmaiden said, running a hand down Snufkin's side, even in her misery thrilled she could do that.

“I've missed too many meals,” Snufkin said. “One lean season and I'm too bony for cuddling. Sometimes I wish I could be soft. And I'm half mumrik, half mymble. I could end up looking like my mother when I'm middle aged, if I keep eating everything Moominmamma feeds me.”

They both paused, trying to picture Snufkin towering over both Snorkmaiden and Moomin and as solidly built as Mymblemamma.

They both burst into giggles after a moment. “Would you like me less if I did?” Snufkin asked a moment later. “End up like mother?”

“Of course not!” Snorkmaiden snapped, stung. “I'm not that shallow! You'd look good, it's just so different, that's why I laughed.”

“Then don't assume we're shallow enough to listen to a magazine,” Snufkin said, tapping the end of her snout. “You're so beautiful, Snorkmaiden. Like this. And you're my new pillow. At least until you believe me.”

With that, Snufkin snuggled back down, wrapping himself more firmly around Snorkmaiden.

“Are you comfortable?” she asked, a touch irritated, feeling like Snufkin wasn't taking her upset seriously.

“Mmm. Yes. So good,” Snufkin said, already on the edge of sleep. He looked up at her, his paw burying itself in her fur, the corners of his eyes crinkling with love. “So soft. Remarkable Snork.”

“...Snufkin,” she sighed, colors flashing over her fur.

“Snorkmaiden,” he sighed back. “Since when do you let someone else dictate how you feel about yourself?”

“I don't! No one tells me who I am but me!” Snorkmaiden snapped.

Snufkin barely opened his eyes, looking up at her with an eyebrow raised.

“...oh. I have been being silly, haven't I?”

Snufkin nuzzled his cheek against her chest. “Love you just as you are,” he said softly, his paws making biscuits against her stomach. His purr kicked a notch higher, and Snorkmaiden wrapped her arms around her remarkable boyfriend.

“Moomin? Are you still out there?” she called. “There's a key in the kitchen, did Snork show you yet?”

Moomin poked his head around the door frame, looking at her with worry and a trace of guilt for finding the key before she'd told him where it was, and Snorkmaiden felt a guilty pang at having put that look on his face.

She gestured with an arm and he climbed onto her bed, exchanging nuzzles. “I'm done being silly now,” she said. “I'm sorry.”

“Do you feel better?” Moomin asked gently, settling in on her free side.

Snorkmaiden nodded. “I got carried away.”

“We all do, now and again. I'm sorry if it didn't seem like I was taking you seriously, taking this long to get here. I thought you just wanted some space.”

Moomin wrapped his arms around Snorkmaiden and Snufkin, cuddling down against them.

After today, a nap seemed just about right, and if her shape wasn't fashionable, it was perfect for her boyfriends to cuddle, and she liked herself just as she was, which was just right for Snorkmaiden.

No matter what some silly magazine said.


End file.
